Jonah 4:1-4

It is human nature to want to be proved right at any cost. Jonah was given a prophecy of the destruction of Nineveh in 40 days because of the evil in their city but Nineveh believed Jonah, fasted, and repented and God had mercy on them a town of over a 120,000 people and did not destroy them. A Kodak moment for Jonah that he listened to God and that it resulted in saving 120,000 people, right? Wrong, Jonah only cared that his prophesy did not come to fruition…….thank God for His mercy and loving kindness!! God uses believers to save lives not to destroy them.

In contrast to God, Jonah had no compassion on the people of Nineveh. Jonah’s irritation belied the good news that the city would be spared.  Jonah himself had experienced the excellencies of God. Gracious and merciful may be rephrased as “marvelously gracious.” Lovingkindness can also mean “loyal love.” Contrast Jonah and Elijah: Jonah’s death wish came from disgust at the people’s repentance; Elijah’s came from a yearning for the people’s repentance.

Jonah 4:1-4

4 But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he became angry. 2 So he prayed to the Lord, and said, “Ah, Lord, was not this what I said when I was still in my country? Therefore I fled previously to Tarshish; for I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm. 3 Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live!”

4 Then the Lord said, “Is it right for you to be angry?”